


Doctors' Love Retreat

by Maisteacup



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hannibal (TV) Fusion, Blood and Gore, Cannibalism, Dark Will Graham, Escape, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, Hannibal Lecter is a Cannibal, Hannibal Lecter is the Chesapeake Ripper, M/M, Murder Husbands, Past Violence, Violence, Will Graham Loves Hannibal Lecter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:07:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28709439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maisteacup/pseuds/Maisteacup
Summary: Will is a doctor that works in Baltimore, one of his most recent patients is Hannibal Lecter, the Chesapeake Ripper. As the two of them speak, they begin to attract and understand one another. One night, sirens start blaring and Hannibal's cell is found empty. A worker runs to Dr. Graham's office to alarm him of the situation, just to find an empty seat. Only a name tag labeled Dr. Will Graham remains on his desk.
Relationships: Will Graham & Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 25
Kudos: 162





	1. Dr. Will Graham

_Sunday March 30_

_Dear Dr. Graham,_

  
  


_Dr. Hannibal Lecter was arrested this morning at approximately 2:52. Dr. Lecter, deemed the ‘Chesapeake Ripper,’ is a serial killer who both ate his victims and likes to divulge into a ceremonious display of the bodies after he is through._

_SEE ATTACHED ENVELOPE_

_The number of his victims is at a total of 29 currently, but he is suspected of at least three others._

_The Maryland Department would like to put him under your custody at the Baltimore hospital._

  
  


_Our department awaits your answer,_

_Jack Crawford_

A doctor folds the letter back on its seams, returning it to the envelope and sitting it on a large ebony desk. Turning to face the window, a smile creeps up his face, “The Chesapeake Ripper? Why would it be an honor, agent Crawford.”

Peering outside the large window, a slightly opaque reflection can be seen on the glass. The doctor wears informal clothes, and his hair curls in every direction. His jaw, chiseled gently, is sprinkled ever so slightly with facial hair. His piercing blue eyes are adorned with a pair of dark prescription glasses.

“Doctor? Dr. Graham? …Can you hear me?” A woman addresses him assertively yet formally.

Dr. Graham only hums a response to her, getting a scornful look in return. Shrugging it off, she continues, “Dr. Graham, the department wants to know if you’ll accept their offer. They’ve left another email on the subject of Hannibal Lecter…”

He turns around quickly and removes his arms from his chest, “Of course I accept! It’s not everyday I get to evaluate someone as grand as the famous Dr. Lecter!” His voice was full of sarcasm but his intrigue was dancing all around the room like a spark ignited.

“Jack knew I couldn’t refuse an offer like this, so I don’t know why he even bothered sending the damn thing rather than just showing up with the man in question.” The doctor scoffed and returned his gaze to the window, “Tell him I accept.”

“Yes Sir, right away. I’ll take my leave now.” The young woman bowed and turned to leave the office.

“Wait, mm... What was your name?” He pondered for a moment, “Doesn’t matter right now, I’m pretty sure I’ve told you not to call me ‘Dr Graham,’ I hate the way it sounds. Just Will is fine.”

She rolled her eyes and mumbled ‘Okay, Will’ as she left the room. 

~

This was three days ago. Today, an armored vehicle makes its way towards Baltimore, chauffeuring the convicted man to his cage.

When the vehicle pulls in, Will is already on the front step. His eyes dance across the gray van as he searches for seemingly nothing. When the back opens, Jack hops out, “Will Graham! How’ve you been?”

Unmoving, Will keeps his eyes on the opened gray door, “Is he in there?” He points toward the opposite direction.

Jack sighed and looked behind him and then back at the doctor, “Of course he is, you think i just showed up in that ugly car cause I felt like going for a drift?” he mocked, “Still the socialite, I see.”

Will paid no mind to the man’s comment and he continued, “Well, I see no point in dawdling. How about we get him into his cell and we can talk about the details afterward?”

“Of course, let’s get to work!” Jack clapped his hands together and walked back toward the van, “Alright let’s get him inside!” His voice carries loud and proud, who wouldn’t after completing the most difficult case in the state in years.

When he gets to the back of the van, a man in a white straight jacket is pulled out from the inside. A white mask covers the lower half of his face, but Will can tell at a glance that the man is indeed Hannibal Lecter. 

Even though the lower half of his face was out of sight, Will could see that there was an undying grin on the man’s face. Barely noticeable to everyone, almost. Looking away from his captors, he met Will’s eyes. Slight wrinkles peered from around his eyes; he didn’t look old, but rather sophisticated instead. His face gave a piercing stare, almost like it would burn at meeting skin.

Will, feeling like their eyes had met for too long, glanced away. The men from the vehicle wheeled the man into the front entrance and toward the spot he would soon call ‘home.’

Will turned to enter the doorway, only to be stopped by Jack, “I’d love to stay and chat, but I just got a call. Your secretary has everything you need on Hannibal. Case files, personal info, and even fake ids. It’s everything we’ve got on him. Take care, and if he pulls anything give me a call!”

He stormed off down the stairs, pulling his cell back to his ears.

Will waited for everyone to leave the vicinity before he walked back inside and shut the front entrance; making his way to the holding cell.

Opening the door to his ‘room,’ Will adjusts his glasses and looks up to see the face of the _Chesapeake Ripper_. Of course he had seen his photo in the newspaper, but nothing beats the living thing right in front of him.

He continues to eye Hannibal, who is sitting at a desk. “Good afternoon, you aren’t the doctor, are you? Can I assume that he will be here shortly?” Hannibal’s words were kind but held a sharp edge, bringing a smile to Will’s face.

“Nope, just me. Contrary to my appearance I am indeed a licensed doctor. My name is Dr. Will Graham, but I hate all that official business. So you can just call me Will.” He made slow strides toward the desk and sat in the seat across from Hannibal.

“My, Will, don’t you have guts. You know I’ve been accused of killing twenty-nine people? Not wise to sit next to me so carefree like. What if I got an itch and decided to kill you right here?”

The guard behind him lurched forward, stopped by Will’s hand. “But you won’t. I know you won’t. You aren’t so eager to be restrained so soon after being let out of the attire you came in with. You’re a smart man Dr. Lecter, so let’s cut the chit-chat. Let’s have a good talk and get to know one another, shall we?”

Hannibal leans back in the chair he is sitting in and crosses his legs, still smiling. “Indeed, Will, let us have a splendid conversation.”


	2. Il Mostro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will talks with Hannibal about his victims in Italy. Will's secretary gets put in her place and we can't forget Will's dogs! (Winston isn't here yet, I'm gonna add him though!)

Will tends to be a very independent man, but he attracts the people around him, even if it’s quite unwanted. This became quite obvious to Hannibal in his first day at Baltimore. The workers would fawn over him and try to follow him into the room so that the two weren’t alone. But they were always refused. Will didn’t allow anyone in the room, except a guard. One guard was kept at the door, but that was the limit to his ‘protection.’

On the first day, Hannibal threw small threatening words toward the doctor, and as expected a guard tried to intervene. This was swiftly halted by the hands of Will. Surprised, the guard simply stepped back into his original position. This action greatly amused Hannibal.

~

On the second day Will met with Hannibal, the same guard standing next to the both of them. 

He quietly looked up at the guard and smiled, “If you don’t mind, could you wait outside? I’ll only be a few minutes, I’d like to get to know the doctor one-on-one.”

The guard straightened up and frowned, “You know I’m not supposed to do that. I am to be in the room at all times. If something were to happen to you Dr. Graham, I’d mean big trouble.”

Will’s warm smile slowly twisted into a frown as he looked down at the table, sighing deeply. “Yes… the  _ rules _ .” He spoke with venom on his tongue, exhaling as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Quickly, a smile returned to his face, showered by a dark expression. “Well, it appears we won’t be able to have a one-on-one, sorry about that.” Will pulls a file from his folder and opens it, “We’ve got quite a list here, should we start on the first victim?”

Hannibal looked at the doctor with interest, but said nothing.

Will swiftly arranged the papers and sat others to the side, “Now since we aren’t in Italy, the department can’t formally charge you for any of these, but I’m not here to pass judgement. I’m simply here to learn and listen.”

“Tell me, Will… What makes you speak of Italy? Was my first victim not here, in Virginia?” He spoke with a smile on his face, eyeing the other man with every move.

“To be frank, I think you’ve had some business over in Florence. We won’t meddle over the details so let’s start talking. I’ll begin with… a couple. The bodies were put in quite an interesting position, wouldn’t you say Dr. lecter? A complete recreation of Botticelli's Primavera painting. Rather unique, I must say.” Will watched over his glasses for any signs from Hannibal, but he made no movement.

“What else to do than to make a work of art? There is beauty in everything and would I not be cruel to keep it to myself.” His smile was wide, white teeth shining through. But his eyes wore a darker expression, ones of a predator.

Will shrugged it off and looked back at his papers, “Of course Dr. Lecter. Beauty can only be appreciated by the eyes of a beholder. In your case, it was the police and residents of Italy. Let’s move on, there were seven other reported victims during your time in Italy, all with similar patterns. Any of those ring a bell?”

“My time in Italy was well spent. I quite miss it, I think I’ll visit one day.” His eyes kept a close watch over Will, never wavering for a second.

His response made Will chuckle, “Yes, I’ve heard it’s a beautiful place. One deserving of an artist like you, isn’t that right, Dr. Lecter?”

Will meant to make a snarky remark to see how far he could get with his new patient, but Hannibal never seemed to lose his face. Always calm and collected, watching everything as if he was above it all. Will was determined to get beyond that false human suit he wore and see him. To truly see what was inside the mind of the Chesapeke Ripper.

~

Will looked down at a small list on his desk, it read: 

_ Books _

_ Paper _

_ Pencils _

_ Desk _

He asked Hannibal to make a list of things he would want added to his cell. Will thought that if he could make a somewhat comfortable living space, he could prob into Hannibal’s mind. But this wasn’t exactly the list he had in mind. It was quite a small list, if Will was being honest with himself. Many of his patients asked for largely grandiose things, but Hannibal didn’t want anything but the four he listed. He couldn’t complain, it made it simpler on himself. Everything was easy enough to collect, so he could have it all placed in the cell in three days time.

Will picked up some of his files and one in particular caught his eye. It was an old newspaper from Italy. The title read ‘Il Mostro, Terror In Florence.’ The image in the newspaper was an image of younger Hannibal. His hair was neat and the same grin he wore today plastered on his face.

Time flew by as Will read through every file on the Chesapeake Ripper and Il Mostro he could get his hands on. He was so engrossed he didn’t notice when his secretary came into his office and began speaking.

“...left the papers on your desk and I’ve forwarded you the emails. I’m gonna go on and head home.”

After she didn’t get a reply she crossed her arms and eyed her boss.  _ “How the hell did this guy become the head psychiatrist here?” _

“Don’t be so daft, I’m quite good at my job. You leave the papers on the right hand side of my desk and I always check my email before going home. I know all of this because?” He looked up, “It’s my job to know. I know everything that goes on in this building. I didn’t almost become an FBI profiler because I was bad at paying attention. I especially wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t good at my job.”

She huffed and turned away, “Whatever. I’m going home for the night. Remember, I don’t work tomorrow, so don’t even think of calling me in. Okay,  _ Dr. Graham. _ ”

After the sounds of her heels ceased, Will stood from his desk. It had indeed gotten late, the sun was already going down. Collecting the files, he shoved them in his bag and locked the door to his office. He greeted the guards and thanked them for their work on his way out.

~

When Will unlocked his front door, dogs from every corner attacked him. He laughed and knelt down to pet as many as he could with his two hands.

“How about I let y’all go outside while I prepare dinner, does that sound nice?” He opened the front door again, letting the dogs run outside. Leaving the door cracked, Will walked toward the kitchen and began preparing meals for all the dogs.

Right as he was about to finish, the sounds of easy panting and hardwood filled the room. He sat the food near the table and watched as the dogs ate happily. When he got his fill of watching the dogs, he turned to his bag on the table.

Pulling the file from it’s folder, he began to read a series of names on the top of the paper: Jeremy Olmstead, Cassie Boyle, Andrew Caldwell, Michelle Vocalson, Darrell Ledgerwood, Christopher Word, Franklyn Froideveaux, Tobias Budge… There were a lot more names on the list but one stood out to him the most. A woman by the name of ‘Beverly Katz.’

“Where have I heard that name?” Will says to himself. He shuffles through the papers and finds her name at the top in bold letters.

**Beverly Katz: a crime scene investigator working under Agent Jack Crawford.**

**Bruising on neck indicates choking before the murder. Body was found completely drained of blood, evenly sliced into halves. Left half completely intact; right half cut into four sections. Body was ‘displayed’ in between glass.**

**Two missing kidneys.**

Images of Beverly when she was alive and of her crime scene her attached.

“Well, that’s why I know her. She was the girl working under Jack. Must’ve been real hell on him when she was found.” Will tapped his finger on his desk while he looked at the crime scene photos littering his table. He breathed in deeply and recreated the scene in his mind.

_ I’m not so foolish as to kill a CSI, so there’s something you did that I could not ignore. _

_ The bruising on you neck, I choked you until you were incapacitated. Then, as to not make a mess, I completely drained you of blood. I used a large saw to cut your body, but the cuts are clean and even, so your body was hardened. Frozen maybe? Your body is displayed in glass, your insides for everyone to see. _

_ This is my design. _

_ But why did I kill you, Beverly? What did you do that made me feel the need to kill someone as important as yourself? _

_ You saw something you weren’t supposed to, didn’t you Beverly? I found you snooping around in something of mine and I couldn’t ignore it. You became a threat, so I had to get rid of you. _

  
“This… is my design” Will whispered as he opened his eyes. “You saw something  _ very _ important didn’t you Beverly?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Will's attitude.


	3. Jack Crawford

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack let's his ego take wing way more than he probably should. He's gotten quite greedy since his evidence got Hannibal locked up. And Will has a slight? obsession on keeping tabs on his new patient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance, I am not absolutely sure how consistent these posts will be. I try not to force writing out and let it flow out as naturally as I can, when the inspiration hits. Sometimes I draw a blank when thinking how to continue something so I might end up having very inconsistent post times. I should probably start prewriting and then post.
> 
> Hahaa..

The next day was a quiet one. Sort of. Will didn’t have a scheduled appointment for Hannibal because Jack was going to ‘interview’ him to further his investigation.

As far as the Bureau was concerned, the Chesapeake Ripper was case closed, but Jack wasn’t. He was hellbent on getting as much information as he could on Hannibal to further his ever growing ego since catching Hannibal.

Sitting in his office, Will could hear the hospital’s heavy wooden doors creak open. Soon after, one of the front attendee’s spoke up, “Please leave any and all possible weapons inside the box. This list includes but is not limited to: guns, knives, writing utensils, scarves, lanyards and anything made out of a hard material. You may use a recording device during this interview. Any unconventional ways of questioning will be immediately stopped by a standby guard. If you would like to speak with the doctor before you begin his office is the second door on the right. Please inform your guard on your way to the cellblock.”

The attendee looked stiff while he recited his speech. His voice was monotone and boorish like he had said it for the millionth time. Jack was also quite unamused and huffed as he began to remove anything that may be included within the list of things he could not have.

As the footsteps got quieter, Will became increasingly more interested in the conversation that is definitely going on in the cellblock. He turns to his computer screen and clicks on the security footage. There was no sound, but if he concentrated enough, he might be able to read Hannibal’s lips and put the conversation together.

A little obsessive, yes, but Will was finding more and more intrigue in his new patient ever since he had arrived. He glanced down at the screen that showed Hannibal and saw Jack come into view.

Hannibal was in a cage similar to that of a diving cage. It was made of metal and barred on all four sides. A lone chair in the center of it, for Hannibal to sit in.

As Jack walked closer, Will laughed to himself thinking of the possible faces he could be having. When Jack was at the six foot mark, Hannibal grinned widely as he took notice to his new visitor.

‘Hello Jack, ...surprised to see you. ...under the impression that the case was closed, … not?’

It was hard, but Will could make out some of what Hannibal was saying. Though it was a tad on the annoying side, so he decided to just watch rather than figure out what the two were saying.

~

After Jack stormed out of the cellblock, Will caught notice of the raging fury that had enveloped him. Soon after, he heard rather loud footprints clop down the hall toward his office; he groaned. (a ‘supposed to’ quiet day ruined)

The door slammed open and Jack stormed on in, “Good afternoon Jack, what brings you to my office? Did your session with him go well?”

He kept his face straight, trying not to laugh at the agent, but Jack was not in the mood for jokes. “Have you gotten anything from him? Has he said anything? Anything at all?”

Will immediately frowned as he looked back to Jack, “This is his third day here Jack, third day. And I haven’t even seen him today because you were coming in to interview him. This isn’t a magic workshop I have here.” He looked back to his computer screen, watching Hannibal, “Wasn’t this case already closed anyway? Why are you trying so hard to dig up more information when you have everything you need already?”

Jack huffed and crossed his arms, “There’s more to this guy, I know it! There’s just too many loose ends that need answers!”   
  


He looked back up from his computer and removed his glasses, “So what? You gonna turn over every rock just because one of them had something shiny underneath? If I were you, I’d be happy with the fact that you caught the guy, and not wasting time after he’s already been condemned. I’ve got work to do, so unless you need anything from me or any of the people in this building, could you leave? I am trying to run a hospital here.”

Jack unfolded his arms and tossed them into the air, turning to leave the room and presumably out the front entrance.

“Getting all worked up like that will be the death of him.” Will grumbled as he looked back to the screen showing the security feed. “Well, Dr. Lecter, I suppose I can have an appointment with you today without a glass wall between us.”

He removed anything potentially dangerous and walked through the cellblock, waving off any attendees and guards trying to go with him. When he reached the door, he opened it, seeing Hannibal in the farthest cage from him.

“Messing with people isn’t very nice, Dr. Lecter. You should’ve seen the face on Jack when he left. Don’t get him so worked up, he might blow off his top.” Will spoke in an almost child-like voice while he walked toward Hannibal.

“What do I owe this pleasure, Will?” Hannibal smiled at the doctor as he sat back down in his chair.

“I don’t have anything planned for my afternoon and decided to pay you a visit. No glass today.” Will motioned his fist in the air as if he were tapping on an invisible wall.

“Indeed there is no wall. It’s not very often I step foot out of my cell, you could almost say it’s a breath of fresh air.”

Will chuckled and pulled out a notebook from his pocket. As he flipped through the pages, he stopped on one that was full of dates and times. He glanced up above his glasses and showed Hannibal the paper.

“By the end of this week, you might be able to have a cell worth living in. I wasn’t sure what kind of books you’d like, so I had my team acquire some from your office, as well as some newer ones from the market. Everything else should be here before the books, so you won’t see yourself bored. But remember, I have the power to take these away, and then some, so don’t get carried away. This is a hospital, not a playground...”

Will spoke sternly, but not too much because he never really fit the role of the ‘bad guy,’ he just said it to where Hannibal would know he meant business.

“Why of course, Will. You’re the doctor and I’m the alleged crazy man. Hardly a playground don’t you think?”

The riddled way Hannibal spoke had peeved Will on the first day, but now it seemed like a funny gesture rather than impoliteness. Hannibal radiated the exact opposite of impolite. Whether he was speaking or if it was the way he carried himself, it was always that of a distinguished man.

Rather different to Will, who almost always slouched, and kept his hair messy. He wore neat and clean clothes, but never to the degree of what you would think a head doctor would wear. Even in his prison suit look alike, Hannibal wore it as if it were a freshly tailored suit. Never a wrinkle or a button indone.

“Isn’t it rather uncomfortable with those buttons all the way to your neck?” Will asked.

“Not at all. It feels like wearing a suit. I’ll admit, it is indeed a little tight around the sides, but it is to be expected since this isn’t tailored to my dimensions exactly.” Hannibal gestured to his neck and looked up to show where the front wasn’t tight around his neck.

Will watched Hannibal move his hands along the buttoned top and toward his neck. His eyes followed the graceful movements Hannibal made without blinking.

While he watched, he could feel the guards eyes on him and he sighed, “Well, it’s back to paperwork for me Dr. Lecter.” He turned but then paused, “He can be moved back into the cell block. I don’t think he has any more visitors today.”

The guard nodded and the doctor took his leave.

When he reached the door he heard Hannibal speak, “It’s quite rude to stare, and you don’t want to know what I do to the rude.”

He heard the guard throw curses to Hannibal and he laughed, leaving the room behind him.


	4. Winston (and the Great Red Dragon)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will tried to find ways to unlock a metaphorical lockbox into Hannibal's mind. When he thinks he is close, the truth always seems farther away. Hannibal gets a surprise call from his lawyer and Will finds a new friend!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was having a tough week so this chapter almost ended up being completely ignored. I began writing it right after the previous one, but I got tired and fell asleep. My writing tends to favor the evenings and late nights rather than opportune hours. I ended up getting severely side tracked. I ended up watching Killing Eve (I'm halfway through season two now) and the new Star Trek (episode nine) , deep cleaned my room, painted, sketched, and was completely lost in writers' block.

To Will, everyone had always been an open book. He was able to read their minds and faces as easily as he could walk with his two feet. At least that’s what he thought. Before meeting Hannibal, he was never surprised by people. They were always predictable and never had their own ideas it seemed.

Except Hannibal. Hannibal was like a door he couldn’t open. A door with no windows or peep holes to give him an inkling of an idea to what was on the other side. Sometimes, very rarely, there would be a small window towards the top of the door. When you are far away, you can almost make out what could be on the other side; but as you get closer, you start to see that the window is too high to see through, giving pseudo hope.

One day though, as Will walked into the cellblock, there was a peephole on the door, with a lockbox on it. It hadn’t been there before, so all Will needed to do was find the key.

“Good morning Dr. Lecter.” Will walked slowly around the gray room as he watched his patient through the glass.

“Good morning to you Will, did you eat breakfast this morning?” Hannibal gave a sly smile as he stood in the middle of the room, arms behind his back.

“I don’t like eating in the mornings, so I skip breakfast.”

Hannibal didn’t move, but he eyes Will’s body up and down. “Breakfast is a feast for the mind, Will, you should always eat breakfast. Especially before working a job like yourself.”

“I’m not really a morning person, so I usually get out of bed late. So cooking would just bother me more. What about you, Dr. Lecter? Do you see yourself as a morning person?”

“I wake up just fine in the mornings, I rarely get cranky because of a bad morning.”

Will snorted, “Yeah, I couldn’t imagine what you’d do if you were cranky. Imagine the Chesapeake Ripper if he wasn’t a morning person.”

He looked back to the other man, who just smiled and watched quietly. Whenever they talked ‘personal’ or about the Chesapeake Ripper, the door would always seem more bulky than usual, so Will often avoided those topics and saved them for later.

“And you, Dr. Lecter,” Will questioned, “What did you eat for breakfast?”

“An English style breakfast with a glass of orange juice. A tad too much salt. Nothing I can’t overcome.” He smiled almost endearingly, capturing Will’s gaze.

Before Will could open his mouth to speak, a nurse walked through the door with a phone. “Oh! Dr. Graham, I didn’t know you were in here, should I tell his lawyer to call back later?”

He smiled and shook his head, “Oh course not, I can’t take away his phone time. It’s  _ very  _ important.” He emphasized ‘very’ an exaggerated amount, keeping an eye on Hannibal’s facial muscles.

Still no movement.

He turned back to the nurse, excused himself and left the room.

~

After Hannibal was left in his room alone, he picked up the phone. He had not been expecting his lawyer, not that he ever listened to him anyway. When he brought the phone to his ears, there was a scratchy baritone voice from the other side, “Dr. Lecter. I’ve been meaning to speak with you.”

The man paused, “Do you know who I am?”

“You are the man in the papers? They’re calling you the tooth fairy, I believe.”

There was a long pause before the man on the other side spoke up again, “I don’t appreciate that ‘nickname’ they’ve plastered onto me. I am the Dragon. And they call me insane!”

The ‘dragon’ spoke with a harsh tone, clear rage evident in his voice. He breathed heavily into the phone, making every bit of his anger evident.

“Oh course you are not insane, you only helped to change these families. Into something far greater than they could have hoped. You are in the middle of your becoming, continue your work.” Hannibal smiled.

The man heaved in one last time before the phone clicked, signaling that the call had ended. With that, Hannibal placed the phone back through the tray and returned to his place in the room, watching the nurse eye him cautiously as she retrieved the phone and made her leave.

~

On his way back from work, Will noticed something out of the corner of his eye. A small brown figure caught his eye. A dog! It was walking along the side of the road with a small piece of rope around its neck. He stopped the car and hopped out.

The dog jumped slightly, walking around with his head lowered, weary of Will’s movement. When he got closer to the dog, he held his hand out, letting the dog sniff.

After a moment, Will moved his hand to scratch underneath his chin, receiving a violently wagging tail in return.

A small smile crept up his face as he stood back up, “Wanna come with me, boy?” The dog barked quietly as if it were responding and Will walked back to his car, opening the passenger door.

“Come on then, I still got a little while till I get home. I’ve got other dogs, so hopefully you get along well with others.”

The dog ran over to the car and hoped in the passenger seat, and watched Will close the door and continue down the road. “How about Winston? That’s a good name for you.” He reached over and patted the dog's ear.

When he pulled into the driveway, he hopped out of his car, running toward the other side to let the dog, now Winston, out.

He sniffed around the yard for a moment but ran toward Will when he called for him. Opening the door, Will was surprised to see that the dogs ran right toward Winston rather than himself like normal. But none of them were growling or kicking up a fuss so he called them back inside so he could feed everyone. Especially Winston because he wasn’t sure when the dog last had a proper meal.

Looking at his size, Will was sure he hadn’t been outside for long, but anyone would be famished after walking around all day and not eating. As he sat the bowl down for Winston, he grinned as the dog ate happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan on intertwining this story with the Dolarhyde situation, just a little. I am working on my grammar, so that everything isn't so choppy and boorish cause I don't want to post something that's just plain awful. (っ °Д °;)っ I want to be able to paint a beautiful scene and not have terrible storytelling.


	5. Dr. Bloom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will isn't on time for the regular appointments, but then he doesn't show up at all? Someone else shows up instead...

Interesting and irresistible. It was the two words that came to mind when Hannibal had been brought in. After years of chasing, Jack had finally caught the Chesapeake Ripper, or so he thought.

Life in Wolf Trap was eye-catching, albeit terribly predictable. The bureau was easy to dodge, and his job as a therapist was getting awfully boring since Tobias had unfortunately  _ passed _ . Among other things, it was more that certainly true that Hannibal was becoming bored of his new life. That is, until he heard of the Doctor at Baltimore.

Dr. Graham had become well known because of his efforts as a doctor, as well as his past. No one knew how he climbed the hospital ranks so quickly. Did he do something mischievous, or was he just that good?

Being such a well renowned doctor, it greatly surprised Hannibal when a scruffy man with ill-fit clothes walked through the door to his new ‘home.’ Glancing back at the door for a moment, he spoke unconsciously, “Will the doctor be arriving shortly?”

The brown headed man only glanced up from his glasses and leered, “Just me, Dr. Lecter. I may not look the part, but I happen to be the leading official of this residence. My name is Dr. Will Graham, but that official business is so tedious so call me Will instead.”

If Hannibal hadn’t stopped himself, he might have just laughed a tad. But instead he smiled and eyed the other man up and down.

Hannibal found himself more intrigued by Will. He was a precious and beautiful wildflower amongst all the weeds. Hannibal had not bothered about being bored while in Baltimore, he enjoyed every moment of it. Whether Jack was fuming because he had come to question Hannibal again or a quiet day where he received visits from Will; all his time indeed kept him interested.

Just when things looked as if they couldn't get more interesting, he received a call. The man over the phone, Hannibal could tell immediately that it was the man deemed the ‘tooth fairy.’ Quite dull of a name, but as is the bureau, dull.

He fueled the change inside of the dragon, encouraged it even. The man seeks his higher form and his higher form he shall have. After returning the phone back to the box, he smiled as he stood in the middle of the room.

“How shall I present myself tomorrow, Dearest Will?”

~

Hannibal glanced at the clock on the other side of the glass, it was a quarter after eleven. Usually, Will walked through the front doors at seven and made his way to Hannibal around eight-thirty. A no-show from Will was definitely strange, but Hannibal made no physical response to the oddity lingering about the room.

It was around noon when the door opened, and Hannibal turned to face who he thought would be Will, but is surprised to see a woman standing on the other side.

“Good afternoon Dr. Lecter. My name is Dr. Bloom, I will be your visitor for the day.”

The woman wore fancy clothes compared to Will. Her long brown hair curled inwards against her suit. She wore herself up and proud, not slouching in the slightest. The opposite of Will.

“What do I owe this pleasure, Dr. Bloom?” Hannibal stared through the glass at a woman he couldn’t perceive as anything but an unwanted visitor. Not only was she the wrong person to walk through the door, she was exasperating and a waste of his own time.

Though he was indeed annoyed with this woman who had walked through the door, he couldn’t be more surprised when she walked through the side door and entered the cell.

“A bold move, Dr. Bloom. Do you know who this cell is?”

“Of course I do, Dr. Lecter. And it is my assumption that Dr. Graham sees you frequently, everyday perhaps?” Dr. Bloom eyed the surroundings and then back at Hannibal.

“That man has always had… an obscure obsession for the oddities in the world. Want to hear a story?”

Hannibal only smiled at Dr. Bloom, to which she continued, “A couple years back when Dr. Graham was still in school, did you know that his intention was to become an FBI agent?”

She waited for a response but continued after no response, “He wanted to be an agent like Jack Crawford, but he didn’t pass the final test. ‘Couple screws loose in that one,’ they said. I completely agree, he is an unstable man with inadequate qualities to be an agent working at the Bureau. He empathizes too much and it’s often his downfall. Have you noticed anything, Dr. Lecter?”

Her voice was smooth and sweet, but her words spilled out differently. She was invasively mocking Will, which brought a frown to Hannibal’s face.

“Will is a strong man in his own rights, if he had become an agent, where would I be this afternoon?” He smiled, but kept his eyes on the rude woman in front of him.

“Indeed… Where would you be?” She stepped closer, invading his much appreciated personal space.

He smiled and in one quick motion, he grabbed her by the side and twisted her around. Hand around her neck tightly, the guards moved toward his direction.

“You two will have to forgive me, I’m not one for cheap shots or hostage situations but she is indeed rude, wouldn’t you say?”

Hannibal’s smile never wavered, but his voice pierced the room with a frozen touch. Dr. Bloom made no movements and neither did the guards. They were not allowed to have guns, and a close interaction was completely out of the question. The whole situation was under Hannibal’s unfortunate control.

The two guards closed the distance in unison, eyes never wavering from the target in front of them, ready to counteract any advances made toward themselves or Dr. Bloom.

“That would not be a wise decision to make.” Hannibal said as he tightened his grip, “I will kill her.”

Then, as if on queue, someone buzzed into the room. All eyes were on the man at the other side of the glass.

“Busy day, Dr. Lecter?” Will smiled as he peered to the other side. “Why don’t you let Dr. Bloom go? I’m sure she has plenty of work to do.”


	6. A Devilish Man Indeed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the extended wait; I am working on improving my grammar and story delivery. It has been a slow week for me as a writer.

Normally, Will did not tend to invite others to visit his patients or his hospital, but a name on the files Jack had given him was familiar: Alana Bloom. She was a previous victim of Hannibal before he was arrested by the bureau. Will had been well acquainted with Alana. Being in the same line of work, Alana used to visit Baltimore often, but after Will's stated annoyance, she stopped. The report prompted a _very_ enticing thought to Will.

Acting as if he did not know about their previous encounter; Will would give Alana a call explaining that the Chesapeake Ripper had been under Baltimore’s care after his capture and was currently in holding. The morning Alana would show up was to be an exciting one, he would be able to watch an interaction between Hannibal and someone he had full intention to kill. 

Will stood in front of the large window behind his desk, he watched as a dark car pulled into view; it was Alana’s. Giving her enough time to get to his office, he spun around to greet the other at the door.

“Good morning Dr. Bloom, care for something to drink? We can go over my files before you head over.” Will smiled and sat down at his desk.

~

A grin plastered over Will’s face as he watched the security cams. There was no sound, but all Will wanted was an interaction between the two. He knew Alana’s personality, so when she etched closer to Hannibal’s personal space it was no surprise.

She frowned as she spoke her mind but Hannibal never made any expression different than normal. Will sighed, he was about to get up, but his eyes caught something different on the screen.

Hannibal was not wearing his carefree smile anymore. His face looked darker, angry even. Like something Alana said to him made him upset. This new face Will had never seen quickly was wished away and replaced with another smile, but this time he grabbed the other doctor and held her throat.

A newer, brighter smile washed over his face. He hadn’t intended for anything particularly bad to happen, but this was better than anything Will was hoping for.

When Hannibal’s grip tightened, it was Will’s queue to step in. He headed toward the cell block with a quick-steadied stride. 

He keyed the door open and walked in, hands in his pocket and a smile on his face. “Busy day, Dr. Lecter? Why don’t you let Dr. Bloom go? I’m sure she has plenty of work to get to.”

Everyone on the other side of the glass watched as Will walked around, Alana seemingly unimpressed.

The shadow over Hannibal’s face disappeared, but the smile did not. “Watching us, were you Will? Not very polite, don’t you agree?”

Without replying, Will looked over at the guards and motioned them to back up. “I can handle it from here. I can’t have Dr. Lecter harming Dr. Bloom but I also can’t have the two of you harming Dr. Lecter. Jack will have my ass.”

“But sir! It’s-”

Will glared at the both of them and they quickly shut up. “Yeah, I can tell the both of you have this situation handled. Just back off so our guest doesn’t have to leave injured today.”

With the orderlies out of the way, Will stepped his way through the door leading to the other side of the glass. “Would you mind letting go of Dr. Bloom?” Will leaned toward Hannibal and whispered a careful warning, “This is my hospital Dr. Lecter, need I remind you that everything in this room is a privilege. Not a necessity. It can all be gone in the blink of an eye.”

Hannibal stared back at Will and gave a challenging glare, to which the doctor returned in full.

After an uncomfortable silence, Hannibal’s lips curled upward and he released Alana’s throat. When she got a safe distance from him, she clasped her throat and excused herself. “I’ll be waiting in your office, Dr. Graham.” Making sure to put explicit emphasis on his last name.

After she left, Will turned his head back to Hannibal and raised an eyebrow, “Picking up some awful hobbies? I don’t normally see you lash out like a child.” He walked around Hannibal as he grinned.

Hannibal, remaining still, smiled, “She is an awfully rude woman. She ought to watch her tongue.”

“Mmm, and what was it she said exactly? It’s not every day I have the privilege of watching the Doctor Hannibal Lecter lashing out because of a few words said.”

“So you were watching us, I thought the timing of your arrival to be a tad too perfect.”

Will smiled a little wider and he returned to the front of Hannibal, “Well, can’t have the esteemed Dr. Bloom getting injured under my care. It’s bad for looks. Now, I am sorry to say that I’ll be taking my leave. I’ll see Dr. Bloom out.” He didn’t wait for an answer and left the room.

Alana Bloom was not in Will’s office as she said she would be, but right outside in the hall. She had an angry look in her eyes as she stomped over to Will, “You knew, didn’t you?!”

Will had a carefree smile as he looked back at her and pushed his glasses up, “Knew what, Dr. Bloom?”

"Oh you know, you have the reports, don’t you?! That’s why you called me here because you knew! I should have known something was up when you called. You never call!” Alana threw her hands up in a rage as she walked around, “You never call, god I'm a fool!”

The orderlies in the hall watched as she left the building in a fit, turning back toward Will, who only shrugged it off.

On the other side of the wall, Hannibal was grinning ear to ear. “Of course he knew... Oh Will, what a devilish man you are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look what Will has done, but we all knew he was a sneaky, manipulative man. (*￣▽￣*)


	7. Bellissimo

Even if the event between Hannibal and Alana had been somewhat ‘planned,’ Will was still hoping that she would not make a big fuss about it or make a report on it.

Two days later he got a call at his desk, “Hello Will, I won't be on the phone but for a short time so shut up and listen.” Will remained silent as he turned toward the window.

“If you had pulled that kind of thing with anyone but me you’d be slapped in the face with a lawsuit. I want you to delete my number, I will not be seeing you or your hospital again. I haven’t the faintest clue what game you're playing at with Hannibal Lecter, but I can only give you some advice. You don’t play with Hannibal, he plays with you.”

Both lines were silent for a moment and Will opened his mouth and considered giving her an answer, but he decided against it. After a heavy sigh, she replied to his silence, “Good day, Dr. Graham.”

The other side of the line clicked and he set the phone back down in its place. For a moment, Will quietly thought about his situation and mumbled, “I’m afraid this is no longer a game... Dr. Bloom.”

~

A week had passed and Hannibal was released from solitary confinement. Will wanted to continue his sessions but he didn’t want his reputation to falter. If he left Hannibal unpunished, it certainly would not look good for him as head of the hospital.

As Will walked down the hallway he had not seen in a week, he felt strangely antsy, nearly excited. When the door opened, he could see Hannibal sitting at the white desk that sat in the center of the room. The bright lights overshadowed the darkroom he stood in.

“Good afternoon, Will. How long has it been since we’ve had time for a chat?” His voice verberated against Will’s ears, and it sounded almost thicker than it had the previous week.

To Will’s surprise, his knees almost buckled beneath him. Fortunately, he was able to avoid a fall by catching himself unceremoniously against the wall to his left. In turn, Hannibal smiled, never looking up from his drawing.

Trying to avoid the awkward air, Will tried to deter the conversation to something not so stress-inducing, “What are you drawing, Dr. Lecter?”

To Will’s utter failure at a change of topic, Hannibal replied with another question. “How well would you say your plan with Dr. Bloom went? Be honest with me, lying is quite rude. I’d also like to know if the time I spent in that confining cell was well rewarded.” Hannibal was now standing in front of Will, peering down through the glass with dark eyes.

Will’s spine tingled as he drew in every feature of the predator standing only feet away. His mind stuttered to keep up and he cleared his throat. “I won’t be facing any lawsuits, not that she has much on me for it. All the documents I have that include her also have something to do with you, so I am legally bound to keep them strictly ‘in hospital’ as they would say. Seems she doesn't want to see me again.”

Will paced back and forth slowly to calm his nerves. The growing anxiety pooled in the pit of his stomach. When has it ever been so difficult for him to speak with a patient? Let alone one he used to frequent every day.

“I can’t have a lawsuit from your lawyer either, it’s not good for… business.” 

“Certainly. A lawsuit wouldn’t do your business much good, or reputation for that matter.” Hannibal smiled, “I am under the assumption you are a well-respected doctor in the area.”

“Yes, I am thoroughly schooled in the psyche and how people think.” It was not something he thought was worthy of praise because Will took his job quite seriously.

Will could feel Hannibal’s eyes trace his body. Along the curve of his spine, his pants, and back up to his jawline. He had felt eyes on him before, this felt different. They weren’t judging or looking down at him, merely observing Will as a whole. As a person.

Will looked at Hannibal in the eyes for the first time in what felt like an eternity. Which was his mistake. Once Hannibal had his eyes, Will couldn’t bring himself to look away. He was drawn to Hannibal, something that he could no longer deny.

“That reminds me about the conversation I had with Dr. Bloom before your entry. It was quite a short talk, but she was all for words.”

Will was strangely uncomfortable with the mention of Alana through Hannibal’s lips. So much so that the tingling sensation he felt through his back deformed and tipped toward annoyance.

“Yes, she is indeed a woman of speech. Care to elaborate on the conversation you shared?” It was almost laughable how hard it was for Will to withhold a sarcastic tone, but he continued nonetheless.

“She told me about when you were in school, that you initially intended to be an officer under the Bureau. Did something happen to change that?” Hannibal intentionally left out the part Alana said about him  _ having a few screws loose _ because not only was it a rude way to speak, but it was a false conclusion on her part.

Will maybe a lot of things, but crazy was certainly not one of them. In Hannibal’s eyes, he was a beautiful bundle of pure empathy wrapped in the cloak of an awkward man just biding his time in a foolish hospital. A sight to behold.

After soft silence, the air in the room was beginning to change drastically. Hannibal seemed even more intriguing to Will; less as a patient, and more as a person. And for Hannibal, Will was becoming a delicious treat, eagerly coming to see him every day. One he welcomed greatly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sure did take my time on this one, didn't I? I tried to keep this chapter between Hannibal and Will. I am trying to deepen their connection.


	8. Alone Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter but I needed to end it here so I can have everything I want in the next chapter.
> 
> Thank you for reading!

Will awoke in his bed, drenched in sweat. He looked at the clock next to him and sighed. Another nightmare.

Knowing he would be unable to sleep again, Will sat up and tore away the uncomfortable clothing from his sweat-soaked skin.

Will got out of bed and walked toward his bedroom window, moving the curtain to catch a glimpse of the field next to his home. Outside his window was so much more peaceful looking at times like these. The darkness peering down to earth and all the stars glimmering in the skies, unpolluted by city light.

It was the way he preferred it. It may have been lonely at times, but the light taps of his dogs’ feet scurrying around was a pleasant reminder that he was not totally alone in his house that seemed larger than it actually was.

Lost in thought, Will’s mind began to wander off and landed on his patient in Baltimore. Hannibal was a marvel of certain rarity. He knew of the Chesapeake Ripper and his ‘work’ but when put face to face with the man who committed every act, Will was almost at a loss for words.

Every note he took on Hannibal, or every conversation he had diligently laid out all seemed to completely vanish when the patient came into view. Even Will noticed just how much their conversations were beginning to stray from their original path. Less about the cases or victims, and more on Hannibal himself.

~

The next day was Will’s day off. It wasn’t abnormal for Will to show up even if it was his day off, but today he didn’t.

Hannibal eyed the clock with odd curiosity. In his few weeks in Baltimore, Will had only not appeared for their appointments once and was replaced with Alana. So, thinking it was once again an elaborate plan of the doctor’s, Hannibal’s lips curled up slightly.

But as the day drew forward, it seemed like that was not the case and Hannibal’s smile slowly turned into a frown. It was unfortunate, and the day seemed slightly longer than normal. He ate his dinner in quiet silence. Abnormally so because he was only allowed plastic cutlery, to his dismay. The man disliked the feeling of the plastic fork and knife. It was nowhere near the quality of the silver he had been used to.

Silently cursing the plasticware, he finished his meal; sitting everything back in the sliding tray to await its pickup.

“In a bad mood Lecter? You’re awfully quiet today.” The attendee remarked with a stupid grin on his face.

The snarky comment did not amuse Hannibal in the slightest. He looked back and smiled toward the attendee, a smile that did not reach his eyes. “My day has not been any better or worse than any other, do I look sickly?” Hannibal’s eyes were dark, but his lips remained as they were.

A cold shiver ran down the other man’s spine as he turned to excuse himself, not wanting to be in the room any longer. He had no wish to piss off the patient on the other side of the glass. Hannibal spoke with a gentle voice and he was smiling, but in no way was he in a good mood.

“Please, have a good rest of your day,” Hannibal spoke quietly but made sure it was just loud enough for the attendee to hear at the door. The man looked back only for a moment before quickly scurrying out the door, slamming it behind him.

After standing in his spot at the center of the room for a few more moments, Hannibal turned and sat at the desk toward the back of the cell room.

~

Hannibal awoke to the sound of the door opening. He looked up at the clock, it read 7:04. When he looked toward the door, it was Will standing there; a grin on his face. “Good morning Dr. Lecter.”

Hannibal sat up and looked toward the other man. Not angry per se, but definitely not in one of his best moods. “What do I owe this pleasure so early in the morning, Will?”

“Nothing,” Will smiled again, “I just wanted to see what you were up to this morning. I had the day off yesterday so I’m well-rested and decided to come in early. I hope you don’t mind?”

Now standing, Hannibal returned a smile, “Of course not, we all deserve a day off. Will you be here for breakfast as well?”

Will glanced toward the clock, then back to Hannibal. “Well, I haven’t eaten anything yet, and I’m already here. So why not?”

The two men sat quietly as they ate, not disturbing the quiet mood in the room. It was comfortable for the most part, except the attendee standing at the door, waiting. Will was the first one to finish his meal and the first to resume the conversation.

It had become quite obvious to the man that the attendee had been abnormally fidgety at the door, “Bullying the staff again, Dr. Lecter?” Will grinned, clasping his hands together.

“Not at all, Will.” Hannibal glanced up toward the attendee at the door before returning his glance toward his plate, “I have nothing but respect for the workers in this establishment.”

Will also looked toward the man at the door and smiled, “When you’re finished with your breakfast, we could go ahead and start today’s conversation.”

“Of course, Will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not Hannibal bullying the attendee because WIll didn't show up (ノω<。)


End file.
